Negotiations

Alex Kane argues that the British government has engineered most of the outworkings of the Belfast Agreement on the basis that Unionists have no breaking point. As a result it has focused all efforts in billateral negotiation with Sinn Fein and the IRA, to the exclusion of all other players. He argues it is time for Unionism to call the governments’ bluff.By Alex Kane Speaking in the Dail on Wednesday afternoon, Bertie Ahern said; “What I find really offensive…is that …

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MARK Devenport caught up with Gerry Adams at Chequers last week for Inside Politics. In his gloomy outlook written afterwards, he detects significant drift in the process, as the Governments scramble about for a Plan B.Adams’ answer on Inside Politics to who knew what and when regarding the Northern heist and on who was responsible is interesting, for those who like to dissect these things. Evasive? He also dismissed the Taoiseach’s accusation that Sinn Fein could turn IRA violence on …

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THE Prime Minister has told Gerry Adams that while he wants to find a way forward that includes Sinn Fein, it won’t be possible unless the IRA gives up all forms of paramilitary and criminal activity. A bit of a damp squib after the build-up. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

THE Prime Minister’s right-hand man, Jonathan Powell, is in talks with loyalist terrorists about a funding package. The UDA has asked for £70 million. So last month we had the biggest robbery in history, this month we’re looking at possibly the biggest bribe in history?! Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

US Special Envoy Mitchel Reiss has been quiet of late, possibly thinking about his future options as a Colin Powell appointee in a Condoleezza Rice-run State Department. The Indo seems to think he will be staying as US Envoy.The Indo suggests that while Rice is likely to appoint a new head of policy planning to replace him soon, Reiss will keep his NI Envoy position. Meanwhile, the Indo reports a Bush administration official saying: “Gerry Adams does not have a …

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Brian Lennon S.J. of Community Dialogue is offered a platform in the Irish News where he argues that Orde’s evidence should be examinedPLATFORM By Brian Lennon SJ Community Dialogue The IRA did it. That’s what Hugh Orde, Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern say. That’s what some of the dogs in the street in west Belfast are saying. They could be wrong. Other scenarios are possible: • it was done by the people who would benefit most from the robbery: those …

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Sunday Times carries a story by David Leppard claiming that the head of MI5, Eliza Manningham-Buller, has told a parliamentary committee that it was MI5 who placed that bug in SF HQ. MI5 boss admits bugging Adams Ambrose Uprichard

In a phrase that has become dulled with repetition by Sinn Fein leaders and, as in this case the DUP, Peter Robinson recalls the Republican Movement’s alleged peccadilloes, before appealling that we move on without them.Whatever else happens as a result of what seems to have become a massive crisis of confidence in Sinn Fein, we can be fairly sure that no one will be moving on without them, or the DUP for that matter. Even if it means direct …

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Brian Feeney is on fire this morning (subs needed). Most of you will be able to pick it on Newshound tomorrow, but for now, here’s the last two paragraphs: Look on the bright side: it means that the next negotiations will be streamlined. Gone are the days when Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness were able to suck their teeth and say they didn’t know whether the IRA would accept something or not, so everyone has to wait while they convene …

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Nice sound bite from Seamus Close when he argues that: “it is time for democrats to move on. If we do not, it will prove that politically, Tony Blair is as bankrupt as a Northern Bank vault.” That he is not likely to do so, may be why many Sinn Fein activists appear confident that their party will not take anything other than a shortlived PR hit over this latest crisis.From Seamus Close: “People are angry that that the return …

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The hailstorm of criticism of Sinn Fein continues. Henry McDonald argues that the IRA’s stewarding of large amounts of money is one reason why the organisation will not be going away anytime soon. He believes too that they may have no intention of disarming or decommissioning before the next presidential election, in 2011. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular …

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Tom Griffin got good copy from Nigel Dodds’ address to a private meeting in London back in November: “The DUP were in no hurry to achieve a deal and would not be cowed by the deadlines set by HMG [Her Majesty’s Government]. The DUP would only reach a deal if it could be certain it would bring lasting and real peace to Ulster. This meant decommissioning of all terrorist weapons positive proof that this was happening, such as documented proof …

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CHIEF Constable Hugh Orde is likely to blame the IRA for the Northern Bank robbery tomorrow. Today, Prime Minister Blair and DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson criticised the IRA for not ending its criminal activity. I’m not sure why – neither Blair nor the DUP were at all concerned about the lack of clarity over criminality in the IRA’s planned statement contained in the ‘comprehensive agreement’, preferring to concentrate on getting a photo of decommissioned arms.The News Letter reported: The Lagan …

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But that’s where the pleasantries begin and end. A P O’Neill blogs the highlights of Lionel Shriver’s rough take on Sinn Fein as a political movement for the Wall Street Journal Europe. P has a certain panache that’s reminiscent of an old Slugger favorite. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and …

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Sean Farren believes that Northern Ireland is ill served by the coming to primacy of the two extremes. He argues that the DUP has no consistent record of voluntarily embracing powersharing, and that Sinn Fein is keeping a number of issues in reserve that it can use to continue to destablise future arrangements.By Sean Farren Despite the progress both governments say has been made, the prospects for political progress have never been more pessimistic than they are now. The so-called …

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Slugger regular Michael Shilliday calls the DUP to task in yesterday’s Newsletter on some of the more contentious detail of what was apparently agreed with the two governments in the most recent round of talks. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

A promising start from the definative old pro, Brian Feeney, in which he argues that new benchmarks are needed to chart progress of the peace process. However, he adeptly keeps his own proposition hidden, suggesting instead that unionist backing of the DUP means that all bets should be called off. Andrew McCann accuses Feeney of turning against an Agreement he once championed. He also links to a fascinating presentation on the political uses on of demography in Northern Ireland. Mick …

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Mark Devenport with his remembrance of a year in Northern Irish politics. A year of apparent progress in negotiations towards an inclusive settlement, but without much of the drama we’ve come to expect from Northern Ireland. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

JEFFREY Donaldson appears to back Mark Devenport’s thinking when he suggested that a lack of photographic evidence of IRA decommissioning would result in the DUP setting a longer ‘decontamination period’ for the paramilitary group to prove its non-violent credentials… which would mean after the Westminster election, I’m sure. How convenient(!) Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

Arlene Foster writing in this week’s Village says that whatever the solution to be found, visibility of decommissioning was raised at Leeds Castle. Off course it had because the last couple of decommissioning “events” were hardly “events” for the wider community; instead of instilling confidence into the process it became a farce. The tautologies surrounding what “significant” actually meant were as big a “turn off” for politicos as they were for Joe Bloggs. She argues too that in eyes of …

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